photo credit: Abbey Drucker
What makes a great PLAYMAKER?
Basketball was my life for 25 years. The character traits I possessed as a point guard are the same ones that make me a good coach. Little did I know back then that everything I was learning on that court was prepping me for the rest of my life.
I live in NYC and I'm a health and wellness coach. I've coached literally thousands of people from all over the world in different capacities. When I reflect on my journey, I see how learning how to be a great player taught me how to be a great coach.
These are the qualities I believe make a great point guard:
Ability to play with composure.
Great playmakers have the same mentality if they are down by 20 or up by 20. Never too high or too low. When you start celebrating too early you lose focus and can very easily lose the game. When defeat is imminent your teammates rely on your ability to stay positive and fight till the end. I always believed my team could stage an epic comeback. I believed a comeback was possible until the very last minutes of every game. That's just the way a winner thinks. I've also drop-kicked the basketball into the stands during a game out of frustration. I've lost my cool in big ways and paid dearly for it in the end.Communicate Effectively. Clear, concise communication during high stress situations. You are the leader and you run the show. I've led teams in the other countries using 3 different languages at the same time. I found a way to get my point across. . As the point guard it's your responsibility to know what the coach wants the team to know and communicate it clearly and effective in a very short amount of time. There isn't time for error. Understanding your teammate's personalities is important as well. Some players can take criticism and "tough love" while others will wilt under the pressure. If you're barking out commands, you need to be the first to dish out high fives too.
Great Finishers. You have to outsmart and outmaneuver players much taller than you. You gotta perfect a few moves that allow you to FINISH. It's better to be THE BEST at a few moves than mediocre with many. You also set up other players so they can finish. A great playmaker makes everyone around them look better and play better.
You better believe 🏀 trained me for life! It trained me how to be a better person, a better coach and a better client.
I now coach individuals all over the world remotely. I teach them how mindset and movement directly affect every parts of their life. It's my belief that a fit body and mind will lead to you to your happiest & healthiest life.
Feel free to ask me how my coaching programs work and enjoy my posts along the way!